Arenal Hanging Bridges
Arenal Hanging Bridges
4.5
6:00 AM - 3:45 PM
Monday
6:00 AM - 3:45 PM
Tuesday
6:00 AM - 3:45 PM
Wednesday
6:00 AM - 3:45 PM
Thursday
6:00 AM - 3:45 PM
Friday
6:00 AM - 3:45 PM
Saturday
6:00 AM - 3:45 PM
Sunday
6:00 AM - 3:45 PM
About
Duration: 2-3 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
1,843 reviews
Excellent
1,048
Very good
582
Average
172
Poor
29
Terrible
12
Jen.C
16 contributions
Jan 2022
We chose to not have a guide which worked nicely because we could take our time around the bridges and have a more secluded private experience. It did however make seeing wildlife challenging, but we still saw howler monkeys, frogs and birds. The bridges are suspended at different heights which means you get to experience each level of the canopy alongside fantastic views of Arenal Volcano (on a good day). It’s important to note that unlike other parks you are only allowed to walk around once, which means that you may not get a view of the volcano on the first bridge. We used the shuttle service provided by the hanging bridge park costing $20 each for return tickets - we thought this was quite expensive given the journey time and multiple stops at hotels, if we went again we’d definitely use an Uber (readily available in La Fortuna), for a quicker and cheaper experience.
Written 12 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jairaj S
Flower Mound, TX2 contributions
Dec 2019 • Family
Hanging bridges, built by Germans are a unique feature at the Arenal National Park. Several bridges need crossed through the entire path of Arenal park is a breathtaking experience. You may see clouds going through from such high heights. Expect some swinging, although the bridges are very safe. Make sure you have a good guide to entertain you through the way and don’t forget to take pictures. If lucky you will have a chance to see exotic birds and animals. Expect 2-3 hour tour.
Written 19 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Krista
Alexandria, Virginia, United States137 contributions
Jan 2023 • Friends
We all loved this tour with spectacular views of the rainforest. Our guide Juan Carlos was excellent and informative. We learned so much and we did see plenty of animals. Some that we saw included yellow vipers, a strawberry poison dart frog, a bird related to a quetzal and numerous howler monkeys. We also saw and discussed many rainforest plants. Additionally, Arenal cleared completely for our visit so we had incredible views from the highest bridges.
This trip was my first in a rainforest and I appreciated how safe and accessible this tour is. Several people on our tour were older and were able to do this tour. I would only say that it was a little nerve-wracking when the bridges would swing with a crowd while crossing. Some people in front of me would shake the hanging bridges while they crossed. Later our tour split up and I didn’t notice that swinging again. I still really enjoyed this. I think they could modernize the plumbing in the bathrooms but generally this was a great tour.
Go with a guide and yes, you will see animals. Many rainforest animals are camouflaged or hide or are active at different times of day. Being in the rainforest and still feeling safe was fantastic. We will all remember this tour again and again. I recommend doing this tour and a jungle boat to see lots of different animals.
This trip was my first in a rainforest and I appreciated how safe and accessible this tour is. Several people on our tour were older and were able to do this tour. I would only say that it was a little nerve-wracking when the bridges would swing with a crowd while crossing. Some people in front of me would shake the hanging bridges while they crossed. Later our tour split up and I didn’t notice that swinging again. I still really enjoyed this. I think they could modernize the plumbing in the bathrooms but generally this was a great tour.
Go with a guide and yes, you will see animals. Many rainforest animals are camouflaged or hide or are active at different times of day. Being in the rainforest and still feeling safe was fantastic. We will all remember this tour again and again. I recommend doing this tour and a jungle boat to see lots of different animals.
Written 7 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kory O
2 contributions
May 2021
My friends and I had a blast on this excursion. Our guide, Mario, made this event exciting and incredibly educational. We booked our trip through Jacamar and they were very responsive and accommodating to our requests. Mario had a professional camera and sent us beautiful photos of what we had found throughout our journey. We would definitely recommend this tour for those visiting La Fortuna.
Written 3 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jocelyne D
Gatineau, Canada35 contributions
Feb 2020 • Family
This was a great half day activity. We enjoyed the forest and the bridges were fun and well maintained. If you are looking for a more wilderness trail, you may want to avoid this one as all the trails are built in the park. But still... the bridges were nice and the kids were free! We didn’t see that much wildlife here
Written 8 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Janelle J
Edmonton, Canada46 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
The park is beautiful! So many animals to see. Unfortunately it was a bit wet when we went. Highly recommend hiring one of the guides they will help you view the animals with the telescope and can find the animals way better than you could yourself. Our guide also took photo with our phones through the telescopes.
Written 16 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Globetrotter
Stockholm, Sweden72 contributions
Dec 2019
You can definetly do a visit to this park on your own but we had a great guide and got to see so much more, specially more animals, because of him. So I would recommend taking an arranged tour instead of doing it on your own. The hanging bridges are really fun and the walk in between them in the rain forest is so beautiful. Highly recommend a visit.
Written 3 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carlos F
3 contributions
Apr 2022
I run my own business with a tourism van, since February, I have taken two groups of tourists to
Mistico. Both times I have encountered a not-very-tourist-friendly attitude by the parking staff at this place. The first time, back in February, I parked my vehicle in the designated area for “tourists vans” in the parking lot. Immediately, a security guard approached me and asked me if I was working for a travel agency. I answered I DID NOT, then the guard just told me that I was not supposed to be parking there. He then asked me to move the van to another parking spot far away downhill, so I explained to the guard that I needed to stay close to my clients, since I was also their guide. At the end, my client AKA: THE TOURIST and who was witnessing the whole situation, had to intervene and thanks to the direct request from them, the guard agreed to let me stay, (not without warning me that he was doing an exception).
Two months later, I was back at Mistico with another tourist family. This time, I decided to do the walk along with them. Since they informed me they had some valuables in the van, it made sense to park as close as possible to the reception office, so that it was safer. But again, a security guard approached me to tell me that I was not supposed to park in the client's parking lot, I just told him that I was a client at that moment, and I just used the space that, as a paying client, I had a right to use.
For me, it seems that Mistico wants to have clients, but they just don’t want vans and drivers at their parking lot. By the way, I have received a very different treatment in the Sky Tram adventure park where they welcome me as well as they welcome the tourists.
Mistico. Both times I have encountered a not-very-tourist-friendly attitude by the parking staff at this place. The first time, back in February, I parked my vehicle in the designated area for “tourists vans” in the parking lot. Immediately, a security guard approached me and asked me if I was working for a travel agency. I answered I DID NOT, then the guard just told me that I was not supposed to be parking there. He then asked me to move the van to another parking spot far away downhill, so I explained to the guard that I needed to stay close to my clients, since I was also their guide. At the end, my client AKA: THE TOURIST and who was witnessing the whole situation, had to intervene and thanks to the direct request from them, the guard agreed to let me stay, (not without warning me that he was doing an exception).
Two months later, I was back at Mistico with another tourist family. This time, I decided to do the walk along with them. Since they informed me they had some valuables in the van, it made sense to park as close as possible to the reception office, so that it was safer. But again, a security guard approached me to tell me that I was not supposed to park in the client's parking lot, I just told him that I was a client at that moment, and I just used the space that, as a paying client, I had a right to use.
For me, it seems that Mistico wants to have clients, but they just don’t want vans and drivers at their parking lot. By the way, I have received a very different treatment in the Sky Tram adventure park where they welcome me as well as they welcome the tourists.
Written 28 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Becky98
Cornelius, NC560 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
We enjoyed spending a few hours walking on the different hanging bridges through the jungle and getting to see the volcano from there. We got to see an eyelash viper from a distance on one of the bridges (thanks to a nice guide). You must wear closed toe shoes or else sign a waiver. I would not want to wear flip flops here.
Written 1 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nick
Staffordshire, UK6 contributions
Dec 2022 • Couples
Our day was great, picked up from our hotel via a shuttle. When we arrived we met our tour guide who was very polite and got to know us all straight away. We had a group of 5 on our tour so perfect size as not to many to not be able to ask questions etc.
The reserve is clean and so well preserved. Everywhere we went we saw people maintaining the paths yet leaving anything outside to it’s natural way. Our guide showed us so much wildlife and explained everything to us in such a great detail.
I would highly advise going here and especially make sure you have a guide. We saw a lot of people walking past and missing such amazing views.
I am not one for heights yet this was an experience that is worth doing regardless. Nothing made me feel unsure or unsafe. 5*
The reserve is clean and so well preserved. Everywhere we went we saw people maintaining the paths yet leaving anything outside to it’s natural way. Our guide showed us so much wildlife and explained everything to us in such a great detail.
I would highly advise going here and especially make sure you have a guide. We saw a lot of people walking past and missing such amazing views.
I am not one for heights yet this was an experience that is worth doing regardless. Nothing made me feel unsure or unsafe. 5*
Written 17 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Are there places on the trail where you can get near waterfalls?
Written 11 November 2020
Do you need to book a guided tour in advance, or can you get a guide when you arrive?
Written 6 October 2019
You don't have to book in advance and we even didn't get a guide.
Written 27 October 2019
Entrance fee to the hanging brides and to Arenal national park
Written 30 May 2019
For the Hanging Bridges 2 miles trail is US$26 on a self-guided walk and US$40 on a Guided Tour
For Horse Back guided tour is US$ 55
For Spider Monkey Canyoneering tour is US$ 75
Written 14 June 2019
We plan to do the self guided walk. Can we just show up whenever and pay at the entrance to the bridges? I see on line if you purchase in advance you have to commit to a time slot and they are all in the afternoon. We want to do morning. We also don't want to go with a tour because we will be there for photography and don't want to be rushed, and we would be no matter the pace of the guide.
Written 20 April 2019
I am sure you can go self guided as people passed us on our guided tour. We did not feel rushed by the guide and my view is that we saw a lot more as the guide spotted small creatures like bats, spiders praying mantis that we would have missed. We had around 3 hours.
Written 23 April 2019
Do you know if there are any benches for those who need to rest before continuing their self-guided walk? My sister in law can walk but needs to sit sometimes and rest. Thank you
Written 22 February 2019
Yes there are seats before starting. It was not rushed and plenty of stopping on route to take breaks
Written 26 February 2019
Hi our brochure says to wear long pants. Would someone please explain why? Our first time to Costa Rica. Thanks!
Written 13 January 2019
It was raining the whole time we were on the tour...rain forest you know :). I wore swim trunks and my wife wore short. We were just fine. Wear some good water shoes, a rain poncho and you'll be fine!
Written 20 January 2019
Does anyone know if there is a better time of day to visit to increase the chances of seeing more wildlife?
Written 28 September 2018
We went in the morning like 9 or 10 a.m. and saw some wildlife. Much of what we saw we probably wouldn't have seen without our guides assistance.
Written 25 October 2018
Is there an entrance fee? How much does it cost to do a self guided hike?
Written 25 July 2018
We had a guide, and were so happy we did, She saw wildlife we never would have seen on our own, and was so onformative. There is an entrance fee, and there were people doing it on there own. Beautiful walk!
Written 3 September 2018
Are there a lot of stairs to the hanging bridges or just uphill walking thanks
Written 17 July 2018
I agree with that answer. No problems, but great views
Written 18 July 2018
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